Okay, so this morning I go out to my backyard goldie pond to check on my fish and clean the net in the filter. Then I look and I see one of my shubunkins floating at the top. I look closer and her head is completely gone!! I couldnt beleive it. It looked like someone just chopped her head off. And it couldnt have happened too long ago b/c her body still looked normal and not rotting yet. I dont understand how this happened... we have a net covering the pond that keeps leaves out and also keeps animals from getting in. I want to know how this happened and what could have done this to my poor baby. Its just too wierd. I would appreciate any help guys. Thanks

What other fish do you have in the pond? how big? are there any crayfish or turtles in it?

Could a turtle gotten into the pond somehow? We had a snapping turtle appear in our pond 2 years ago and even though he was small he did go after the fish and was quickly removed.

Also, the crawfish that were in my pond attacked several fish so that would be another concern.

Birds can get their beakes through some of the nets depending on the square sizes.

Sorry I can't be of more help.

was his head clean off, like it had been cut by some a knife or was it chewed off?

No turtles or crawfish. Only thing besides fish is sometimes frogs will come. Theyre not that big either. The biggest fish in there is prolly around 8 inches. And this fish was about 6 inches. I dont know how a birds beak could fit through... the squares are barely even 1cm. A finch is like the only beak that could fit through. Its hard to tell about how his head came off... it looked pretty straight and clean to me. I still cant beleive this. Shes getting buried today

aww faye i feel so bad for you. i wish i could've helped...but chelsea doesnt do ponds- yet.

Thanks Chelsea
Just this morning there was this stupid big bird that came back by the pond... I never get a good look at it but it has a really think long beak and its bluish and gray in color. I only see this thing like once a month. If it was what killed my shubunkin then why would it only take the head? I thought it would take the whole fish. Man you should have seen me scare it away! I was like a mad woman! I flung open the door and start screaming get outta here and dont come back you dumb bird! LOL
but anyways still so confused here Anyone else?

maybe it was him (sorry i sound kinda gruesome here) but he caught him, pulled him up but the net wouldnt let the fish thru and b/c he had such a hard hold of the fish, it just cut. yeah that sounded really gross.

your bird sounds like a crane. they love to eat fish, and ponds are easy pickins for birds of that size. btw, they are a protected species, supposedly endangered, or threatend. couldnt tell that around here, we have a million of them. bald eagles too. and the supposedly threatened red winged hawk.

Yes they are endangered you are lucky to have a lot in your area. They are so pretty. I hate it that they got to your fish though. One of the many reasons I dont have a pond.

I'm not sure where you live, but it sounds like a Blue Heron. People here with ponds have a problem with them. If that is the case fishing line around the pond might help.

Oh Faye Im so sorry. I was also going to say that it sounds like a blue heron. Those things are nasty and some of our customers have lost entire koi ponds to them. Check for any tears or holes in the netting. It sounds like he may have poked his beak through and he could have taken your shubunkins head off. How awful. Also make sure you dont have anything loose on your pump because an impeller could also cause an injury like that. And lastly is it possible a rock could have come loose and fallen on him?

Im thinking its gotta be the blue heron. Nothing else could have done it. And we just did a big waterchange and cleaning this weekend and didnt find my poor guys head or anything
I hope that thing never comes back. But thanks for the help guys

Poor fishy that sucks when i left oce
for 2 weeks and left my fish in the pond when i came
back there were only 1 goldfish ...

Oh, Faye, that's horrible! When I lived in NC, the botanical gardens had the most wonderful ponds and the koi were in the ponds during the ice storm and survived! So I was shocked when I was visiting once the weather was warmer and they were all gone. I asked one of the employees and sure enough, it was a Heron.